Suave Richard went better this year in the Japan Cup on Sunday.

Third in the race last year behind Almond Eye, Suave Richard went 2 better this year in the Japan Cup (Grade 1) on Sunday.

Winner of the Osaka Hai (Grade 1) in April 2018, Suave Richard scored a three-quarter length victory in the Japan Cup beating 3-year-old filly Curren Bouquetd’Or with favourite Wagnarian another length and a half back in third.

Trained by Yasushi Shono and ridden on Sunday by Oisin Murphy, Suave Richard raced on the rails before finishing strongly, bouncing back from his recent seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (Grade 1).

“Around the world the Japan Cup is one of the most important races and it’s a huge achievement and I’m truly thrilled to get the opportunity to be here,” Murphy said.

“I could have pushed Curren Bouquetd’Or out but it was always going to open up as the leader was getting tired. “Japanese horses are becoming the best in the world and this is a great race to showcase that.

” Suave Richard is a son of Heart’s Cry who has now sired 2 of the last 3 winners of the race, being the sire of the 2017 winner Cheval Grand. Bred by Northern Racing, Suave Richard is out of the US-bred Unbridled’s Song mare Pirramimma who has also produced the Graded-placed Bandwagon.

Heart’s Cry is the sire of the Cox Plate (Group 1) winner Lys Gracieux and Shadai Stallion Station announced earlier this month his 2020 fee was set at Y10,000,000, up from Y8,000,000 in 2019.